Home / Lectures / Lisa Nishi, Cornell ILR School
The what, why, and how of inclusive climates in organizations.

Lisa Nishi, Cornell ILR School
Description
Semester:
- Winter 2017
Speakers:
Lecture Time:
Fri, January 27, 2017 @ 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Lecture Location:
Room R1220, Ross School of Business
Speaker Webpage(s):
No speaker websites available.
Introduced By:
No introduction available.
Abstract
No abstract provided
Recording & Additional Notes
Lisa Nishii joined the faculty of the Human Resource Studies department at the ILR School, Cornell University after receiving her Ph.D. and M.A. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland, and a B.A in economics from Wellesley College.
Nishii is an expert on inclusion in organizations. Her research focuses on the confluence of organizational practices, leadership behaviors, and climate for inclusion on individual- and group-level outcomes. Using multi-level and multi-method research designs across a number of large-scale federally funded projects, she has found that leaders play an important role in shaping inclusion. In particular, the extent to which leaders role model inclusive behaviors, clarify the learning and innovation benefits of diversity for the group’s work, and set strong norms related to interpersonal interactions, determines the inclusiveness of their workgroup climates. In turn, workgroup climate has important implications for the authenticity of the relationship that group members develop, the positive versus negative quality of relational ties, the information that is shared among group members, the extent of conflict that is experienced, and ultimately the creativity, financial performance, and turnover rates associated with these groups. Workgroup climate also impacts individual-level experiences of discrimination versus inclusion, as well as engagement and performance. She is currently developing and testing the effectiveness of training interventions for leaders as well as for in-tact teams on how to cultivate workgroup inclusion. Nishii’s earlier research focused primarily on diversity in individual-level cognition and behavior as determined by national culture.
Nishii actively publishes in top-tier journals, including Science, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Management, and Academy of Management Annals, and serves on the editorial boards for AMR, AMJ, and JAP. She has served in a variety of executive leadership positions for the Gender and Diversity in Organizations (GDO) and Human Resources (HR) Divisions of the Academy of Management, and currently also serves as the Chair of ILR’s International Programs, and on numerous Provost’s task forces and councils for diversity, globalization, and engaged learning. Nishii also consults with multinational companies, primarily related to diversity and inclusion and organizational assessment.